Illusion
by Aravis17
Summary: The Daughters think she is like them. The Followers want to make her Lecta. Moving to Los Angeles will change Lydia's life forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

Simone and Jessica were never that beautiful, although they certainly thought they were. So did everyone at school only because they were twins. But they weren't even identical; they were just fraternal twins that wore the same makeup and dressed the same, hoping to fool people into thinking that they were. They never fooled me. My cousins were the haughtiest, most self-righteous women I ever knew, and nothing changed when my mother told me that we were moving to Los Angeles.

"But the twins live there!" I whined, hoping to change her mind.

"My nieces aren't nearly as bad as you think, Lydia," she said. I knew better.

* * *

><p>We had lived in Santa Ana since I was born, and we only saw Aunt Hazel and the twins once or twice a month, which was fine by me. Sometimes two months would go by without a visit and I was very grateful. Of course, Mom would call her sister and ask why she hadn't called. Then they'd come over, and I would hear the same crap I had been dealing with since I could speak.<p>

"Ly, you're getting fat. You should seriously consider lipo."

"Are you sure you want to wear that? It looks like cat's vomit."

"Jessica, everything she OWNS looks like vomit!"

That was the basis of their conversation. I didn't take it personally; if that was all they could come up with, it was pathetic. Simone always called me Ly, and it had only gotten worse when I told her how much I hated the name because I saw the word "lie" in my head every time she said it. She laughed and told me to get over it. I just rolled my eyes and walked away.

"Chicken!"

"Come on, you can't take a damn joke?"

Sometimes they thought I'd tell on them. Jessica was always scared she'd be found out, and they'd send her to a detention hall, as if that was her destination for verbally abusing her cousin. You would think if she were that nervous, she'd stop. But Simone always egged her on. I hated them from the very beginning. I knew they would never stop. They were two years older than me and believed that gave them the right to boss me around. I will never forget the day I punched Jessica in the face. She screamed bloody murder and ran to Aunt Hazel. They didn't speak to us for a year. It was bliss.

"But you know how horrible they are, I know you do!"

"My sister's children are as dear to me as you, Lydia. Since we will be living in their neighborhood, I will expect you to get along. You're fifteen; you should be old enough to handle yourself!"

"It's not ME that needs handling!"

"Lydia," she said in her warning voice.

"Fine."

"Oh, and you'll be going to La Brea High School with your cousins as well. There had better not be any fights, do you understand me?"

"Mom, why would I fight with seniors?" I retorted, grabbing a piece of toast from the toaster, one of the only utensils left in our almost empty house. I quickly ate it, mom packed up the toaster, and I carried the last of my boxes out to the moving van. Goodbye Santa Ana. Hello, hell.

* * *

><p><em>Catty's POV<em>

I passed the La Brea Tar Pits on my way to school. As usual, I had to cover my nose as I ran past. It was almost second nature by now to avoid inhaling the stench. I spotted Vanessa and Serena as I ran up to the front of La Brea High. Out of breath, I swiped the hair out of my face. They looked at me like they thought I had been time traveling again.

"Hey, guys! I ran past the tar pits, you know they smell something fierce!" I sighed, and adjusted my bookbag strap. They nodded in agreement. I looked up at the sky, the moon still visible even though the sun was out.

"Didn't the news say there was going to be a lunar eclipse tonight?" I asked in fear. Serena nodded, looking grave.

"We're as weak then as we are at the dark of the moon," Vanessa stated the obvious, looking at her feet. We all hoped that the Atrox wouldn't realize we were fragile today.

"Ew, it's _Turner_!" someone called out to me. I didn't need to turn around to know who spoke.

"Oh, you're with the _foeda dea_," the girl said with disgust in her voice. Serena turned red and glared at her. I could've sworn ever since Morgan became an Initiate that she would leave us alone. But logically the Atrox would have told her who we were and that we were to be eliminated. We had to be wary.

Off in the distance a girl stepped off of the bus, and she looked over towards us. Something about her made me take a step backwards, and I ran into Vanessa.

"Catty, watch it!"

"Sorry. Does anyone else notice something odd about her?" I pointed.

"Do you think she's another Daughter?" Serena asked.

"No; it feels off."

"She could be. I'm going to go talk to her," Jimena said.

"Don't scare her!" Tianna said hurriedly.

"Qué dijiste, chica? What did you say?"

"Well, I mean, you were in a gang, she might..."

"I can handle it, chica, you just calm down."

We watched her walk away, and I could tell the others began to feel my unease.

* * *

><p><em>Lydia's POV<em>

I stepped off of the bus steps, almost tripping onto the concrete. As I caught myself, I heard two girls laughing.

"You're just totally trippin' on our territory, aren't you?" Simone asked, grinning.

"Go away," I growled.

"Oh, the little sweetie thinks she can tell us to go away? This is our school, girlie, you can't tell _us_ to go away," Jessica said, shoving me.

"Hola, welcome to La Brea," I heard a kinder voice say.

"Just stay away from me. Before I punch you again!" I threatened Jessica as I turned to the girl.

"Hi," I said uncomfortably, shifting my feet.

"Why don't you come with us today, chiquita? We'll protect you."

"Thanks, but I can handle myself."

"There are worse dangers than your cousins," another girl said, approaching me.

"How did you know...?" She wiggled her eyebrows, and I laughed.

"Me llamo Jimena, this mind reader over here is Serena."

"Hi, I'm Lydia," I said, happy to have some friends.

I met the other three girls in my homeroom. Their names were Catty, Vanessa, and Tianna. All five girls seemed nice enough, but I didn't feel very welcome. It felt as if I was being observed instead of befriended.

"So, how do you feel about the moon?" Tianna asked.

"Have some tact!" Serena hissed at her.

"We all love the moon; it represents the light in the dark. Tianna just wants to know if you feel close to it as well."

"I never really thought about it. I guess so, it's when the werewolves come out, right?" I said, laughing. They just looked at me.

"I really don't like any kind of light. I feel most comfortable when it's just pitch black. Then no one can see me." They exchanged significant glances and turned towards me and smiled.

"Come on, we can boost your self confidence. Come with us to Planet Bang tonight," Serena offered.

"I don't know..."

"Doesn't your mom want you to make friends?" Vanessa asked.

"Well, yeah..."

"Then come!"

"Okay."

* * *

><p>Later that day, the girls took me to their friend, Maggie. They said I'd learn a lot there that I didn't know before. It just confused me more.<p>

"Ah, my daughters," she greeted them. Daughters?

"Oh!" she said when she saw me, putting her hand over her heart. I saw something in her eyes that reminded me of a frightened rabbit.

"We think she might be one of us," Catty said abruptly. Maggie studied me. She looked a lot like my grandmother, yet at the same time as if she were only twenty-five. She then decided something, because she clapped her hands together and led me to an armchair.

Then, with the 'daughters' helping her, explained to me the fact that Selene, the goddess of the moon, gave her daughters as protection against an ancient evil called the Atrox, and that it was my job to defeat them. She then gave me a moon amulet.

"What is her power?" she asked the Daughters. They looked at me. I shrugged.

"Serena can read minds, Vanessa can become invisible, Catty travels back in time, Jimena has premonitions, and Tianna is telekinetic. What can you do?" she asked again. I shrugged again, and then noticed that Maggie's apartment was larger than I thought. I walked over to the other room and saw a couple arguing.

"Who are they?" I asked Maggie.

"Who are who, Lydia?" she asked. I pointed.

"That's just a wall," Tianna said. I turned away from them and noticed she was right. But then it disappeared again.

"I can see through walls," I stated as if I had known my entire life. Maggie clapped her hands together again and got up to hug me.

"Tu es dea, filia lunae." I understood her, even though I knew she was speaking Latin. _You are a goddess, a daughter of the moon._


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

When I got home, everything was put in its place, and I ran up to my room before Mom could ask how school had been. I changed into a burgundy halter top and a pair of tight black jeans with a long slit up to the knee of my right leg. My black espadrilles were perfect for this outfit, and I opened the shoebox and dug around until I found them. I pulled my hair back into a messy bun and applied glitter to my exposed neck and upper chest. I then drew little swirls along each eye with my eyeliner, and applied my sparkly golden eye shadow and long-lasting gold lip-gloss. I wanted to look completely vamped for the party at Planet Bang tonight. Seeing myself in the mirror made me shiver. I was a goddess. I hadn't believed it until now. _Dark goddess_, something said in my head. I shook it away and heard a horn beep outside.

"Who could that be?" I heard my mother say.

"New friends; gotta go!" I yelled, running out the door before she made me change my clothes. I got into the car, squeezing in the backseat. Serena moved to the middle so I could fit, with Catty on her left. Jimena was driving and Tianna was riding shotgun.

"Does she have her license?" I asked Serena. She just smiled and buckled my seatbelt for me. Jimena pressed on the accelerator and squealed away from the curb. What would my mother say if she knew we were driving illegally? But then I realized: this daring feeling felt _good._ I was born to rebel and never realized because I never tried before now.

* * *

><p>The music flowed through me as we walked into the club. The night was just getting started; they were just pumping a CD right now. The live music would start later.<p>

"It's millennium night!" Vanessa yelled.

"What?" I yelled back.

"They're playing songs from 2000 to 2003!" she yelled. Intuition by Jewel started, and I smiled at her. They mixed it with her other song, Yes U Can, and I started dancing in line. A boy caught my eye and winked. He had short blond hair, spiked perfectly. He was very good-looking, but I was frightened. The other Daughters didn't seem to notice. We entered the club and I began to jump up and down in time with the beat. They cheered me on. Serena left mysteriously, causing the others to roll their eyes. Catty looked furious.

"Where'd she go?"

"Stanton."

"Who's Stanton?"

"A Follower of the Atrox. Serena believes he isn't completely evil, but..."

"He's using her!" Catty yelled.

"Catty! She trusts him!" Jimena said.

"Serena wouldn't put herself in danger," Vanessa said. Catty just huffed and walked away. The guy I saw earlier was scanning the crowd and I went over to him as Vanessa and Tianna met up with their boyfriends and Jimena went to get a drink.

"Hi," he said seductively, brushing my hips as we danced.

"Hey," I said. He seemed to shy away from my amulet, but I didn't take much notice.

"I'm Lydia," I said.

"Tymmie," he said succinctly, kissing me on the lips. I barely knew him, yet I was already infatuated with him completely. I didn't understand where these feelings were coming from, but I let him lead me to the tattoo stand in the corner.

"Can I brand you as mine forever?" he asked. I giggled, not knowing why I was being so bold (unless I was just being stupid).

"Of course." He whispered something to the man, and he began tattooing a flowery design on my lower right arm.

* * *

><p>As we left the club, Vanessa grabbed my arm.<p>

"Where'd this come from?"

"Tattoo guy. Why?" I asked curiously.

"A flame in my house once caused a design similar to this to form on my arm. It was going to bind me to a moon demon forever. I don't want you binding yourself to something evil," she said sadly.

"It's just a tattoo."

Tymmie ran up to me and admired it. The Daughters lined up around us and held hands.

"Lydia, run!" Vanessa yelled.

"What?"

"He's a follower!" Tymmie just laughed and held me. He didn't feel dangerous, and even if he was, who cared? I didn't feel like a goddess anymore. There was too much good in this world, and it always made me sick. Hearing Mom say how wonderful the twins were and how evil I was towards them, it was about time I made it the truth! Tymmie took my hand and without talking, told me where we were going. I accompanied him joyfully.

"Lydia! No!" I turned around and tore the necklace off and threw it at them.

"I was never a goddess!" I screamed.

"Oh yes you are," he said.

"I don't want to be one anymore."

"Then become a Follower. Immortal. Forever with me." I noddded eagerly.

"Lecta," he whispered. I smiled. A fire on the beach greeted my eyes, and we started running. I stopped before it and the crowd began chanting.

"Lecta! Lecta! Lecta!" The lunar eclipse was almost complete, and I felt strong and impulsive. The fire was cold and I stepped into it willingly. It caressed me and pulled me closer. The tattoo glowed brightly. I felt my mortality melt away, replaced with a strong immortal part of my new soul. I felt powerful. This was so much better than being a mortal goddess with an expiration date.

* * *

><p>I ran across Chinatown, not knowing where I was going. In a nearby shop, I saw Simone and Jessica. Perfect. I walked through the wall towards them.<p>

"What are you doing out this late, Ly? Won't mummy worry?" Simone mocked. I just smiled. Tymmie materialized next to me and they screamed and ran out of the store. We followed. Soon we were chasing them on the dunes. Tymmie was joined by another Follower, Karyll, and at once we entered their minds with a force so powerful it numbed them.

We left them lying there and went out for ice cream as if we were normal teenagers. While I consumed my cookies 'n' cream, my old conscience took over my brain. I felt guilty. Whatever they had done to me, I had no right to put them into a permanent coma like that. But I knew no medicine would cure them now. They were as good as dead, and it was my fault. I suddenly wanted to go home, have this all be a dream, not be a Follower. The Daughters were a force of peace and I destroyed that harmony. Because of me, a Daughter turned Follower; there would never be peace in the world again. I was officially made to kill, and could never go back. My eyes turned black as my new soul took over, and I never let emotion enter my being again.

* * *

><p><em>Catty's POV<em>

We were still standing outside Planet Bang an hour later, shocked that one of our own had turned so quickly. Vanessa was the first to regain her speech.

"How? Why?"

"We did shove the goddess bit on her unexpectedly," Serena offered.

"We should go after her," Tianna said.

"It's too late. She's a Follower now. She hadn't been a goddess long enough when he found her. She hadn't even practiced her power! Persuading her to join him was probably effortless. She'll never be a goddess again. Oh, she'll be immortal, but without a soul," I said.

"Won't she think she still has a soul? She's kind of new at this whole thing," Vanessa asked.

"Yes. The power of the Atrox will make her believe she has a brand new soul, but her shell is empty. If anything, he'll put hatred into her. If she has any compassion left it'll be gone in the next five minutes," Serena said.

"You know a lot about this, Serena," I said, eyeing her carefully.

"Stanton and I have spoken about it."

"Someone say my name?" We jumped at the sound of Stanton's voice. I glared at him accusingly.

"Lydia is safe. She just put her cousins into a coma, but they should be alright. I took them to a hospital after going into their minds and bringing them almost to consciousness. The Atrox is after the Daughters of the Moon, not mortals. For now."

"They probably deserved it, the way they treated her this morning!" Jimena said, cracking her knuckles.

"Honestly, it's not funny. I've never seen a Lecta take on power like that before," he whispered.

"Did you see Maggie's eyes when she first saw Lydia? I thought she was going to have a stroke, she looked so scared," Vanessa said.

"Now I know why I thought she was strange this morning," I said, "It was the evil kind of strange that masquerades itself as beautiful. We're so used to spotting Followers, we didn't know she wasn't one of us until she ran away with Tymmie."

"She's with Tymmie?" Stanton said, starting to disappear.

"You didn't know?"

"Tymmie will try to make her hatred stronger than the Atrox would prefer," Stanton gargled as he disappeared completely.

"The Atrox has a limitation to hatred?" Tianna asked, crinkling her nose in confusion. We glanced at her and burst out laughing.

"Tymmie may think he has taken a Daughter, but she was never one of us. Whenever I wake up and put the amulet on, it brightens for a moment as if greeting me. When Maggie put it on her, it didn't do that. It didn't recognize her at all," Vanessa stated.

"We should go home," I said, "It's late, and tomorrow we'll have a new enemy to fight."

"One named Lydia," Serena finished.


End file.
